The show won't get underway until 8 p.m. EST, but Madonna and Prodigy are already multiple winners at this year's 1998 MTV Video Music Awards.

Technical awards were handed out before the live telecast, and Madonna picked up three moonmen statuettes for Best Choreography in a Video for "Ray Of Light," Best Special Effects in a Video for "Frozen," and Best Editing in a Video for "Ray Of Light."

Madonna also picked up her first loss of the evening as her "Ray Of Light" video failed to pick up the award for Best Cinematography in a Video. That prize went to Fiona Apple's "Criminal" clip.

Prodigy also became a multiple winner early on as the band's controversial clip for "Smack My Bitch Up" grabbed statuettes for Breakthrough Video and Best Dance Video. The director of that clip, Jonas Akerlund, was handled Madonna's "Ray Of Light" video, bringing the Swedish director's early tally to four Video Music Awards.

Björk was also an early winner as her "Bachelorette" video picked up the award for Best Art Direction in a Video.

Catch all the sizzlin', star-packed VMA action direct from Miami on August 28. MTV News' preshow kicks things off at 6:30 p.m. ET/PT, followed by big show at 8 p.m.

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